Legere will sing, paint and tell stories in support of her recently launched nonprofit, the Foundation for New American Art.

She's also gearing up for the release of her album, "Heart of Love," in 2017. Two songs, "Men From Boys" and the title cut, will be featured.

Legere is a singer-songwriter, poet, multi-instrumentalist, visual artist and community advocate for children.

She's written a play about Native Americans, recorded for Mercury Records in England and for several U.S. labels, including Epic, Island and Funtone, and has released more than a dozen CDs of original music. She has also appeared on National Public Radio, "CBS Sunday Morning," and "60 Minutes."

"Legere is an expressive and versatile singer whose voice ranges from a dark and earthy alto to a gorgeous, dazzling high soprano," The Washington Post has written about her. "She combines intelligent lyrics and a fusion of French musette, Cajun, pop, rock, folk and jazz into a 'roots alternative stew."

Legere, of Acadian descent, played shows throughout New England this summer, including the Bread and Roses Heritage Festival in Lawrence, and gave a workshop on "The French Connection in New England" at the Pollard Memorial Library in Lowell in 2015.

Legere is driving across the country in her "Visionary Van" loaded with art and music.

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The Foundation For New American Art -- 4NAA -- is dedicated to bringing art and music to underserved children in low-income communities. She visits schools, military bases and libraries giving workshops, most notably her "Songwriting from the Heart." Proceeds from her public performances will go to 4NAA, whose mission is to "educate, as well as nurture and strengthen the artistic and musical spirit of the children of low-income communities."

Legere ran away from home at age 15 and lived on the streets of New York City. Fighting hardship, hunger, and cold, she discovered songwriting as an outlet for her pain. Within a year she was signed to Epic Records.

"In my parents' defense, you have to realize our background. For the Legeres of Leominster and Fitchburg -- French speakers, Canadian immigrants, factory workers -- for them, education was everything. It was the way out of Cleghorn," she said, recalling that her grandfather walked from Leominster to Deerfield Academy and taught himself English on the way.

"It took him all summer to walk there. He was 14. He rose to become the premier, the top manager of the Union Plastic Factory."

She says she understands her parents' reluctance to support her dreams.

"They thought that if I left school I would be a nobody. And you have to understand that Catholic thing in those days. Women sang in the church. They did not go off alone and have a career singing in bars," Legere said.

Her mother, she said, was "mortified" at the idea of her daughter getting up on stage.

Legere was offered a job playing the piano. For her, as with many artists just getting started, it was a question of money.

"I was able to make 50 times more per hour playing piano than baby-sitting," she said.

Still, she didn't quite understand that you also have to have a place to live. Somehow, she said, she survived living on the streets.

First, she took her high school equivalency exam, and then applied to, and was accepted at Vassar.

"Can you believe it? How did I get in? I think they must have made a mistake in accepting me. But college is great because you can meet really gorgeous boys and girls, fall in love twice a day, you can play the piano, write poetry, paint paintings and study philosophy. Those were the days," she said.

After Vassar, Legere studied with John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

"I worked with other brilliant, genius teachers that the Lord has put in my path. I mean, my parents were right. It is all about education. But my best education came from attending jazz jam sessions on the Lower East Side and hanging out with artists, poets and writers," she said.

She plays seven instruments, including one she invented to help physically challenged children participate in making music. She calls the digitally connected instrument Sneakers of Sam.

At the time, she was volunteering at Rusk Institute, teaching music to children with disabilities.

"The children were dealing with challenges that made me want to cry and run away, but they didn't feel sorry for themselves. They were vibrant, brave and passionate about rhythm, singing and musical interaction," Legere said.

She was saddened that many of the children lacked the physical dexterity needed to play an instrument.

She was determined to invent a musical instrument that would allow physically challenged children to interact musically as an ensemble, she knew that playing the piano and strumming guitar was not realistic, so she got to work.

"I had to learn electronics first. That was fascinating," she remarked.

She became artist in residence at the School of Visual Arts Graduate School of Digital Art.

She studied computer programming and learned how to deploy sensors to respond to gesture.

"Using the sensors that were developed for smart bombs, accelerometers and gyroscopes, I was able to track even tiny foot movements and assign each foot location in an XYZ quadrant to a musical sound," said Legere.

She used samples she called "mini nuggets of musical sound" and had children establish a rhythmic groove with one kick forward.

"Then they would select other sounds with any movement of the foot to embellish that groove. At first I called them the Sneakers of Samothrace, because I hoped to be funded by Nike. Nike of Samothrace is the famous Greek winged statue at the top of the stairs at the Louvre. She was the goddess of victory and movement," Legere said.

Adidas ultimately sponsored the project.

"They gave me the money to create eight pairs of sneakers. I founded my Children with Superpowers Orchestra. The sound was incredible. And the children who witnessed our performances were jealous of the children with disabilities because they were so cool," she said.

Legere said that children with recent amputations who use the shoes are inspired to take that difficult next step because music is the "best medicine," for healing and confidence building.

"I use the Sneakers of Samothrace in my performances and have many different programs for them, including the 12 Tone Sneakers and the Native American sneakers," she said.

She offers small collectible paintings at performances, each of which has a CD embedded within it. She recently received a contract to record an all-French album, and is offering her "I Love Paris" series of paintings and prints.

Her most recent CD release was "Acadian Moon," heard on more than 40 radio stations in Canada. She is also featured in HBO's documentary "It's Me, Hilary," which profiles Hilary Knight, the man behind the children's book character, "Eloise." She also has opened for David Bowie on a national tour.

Her advice as a young person who struggled for her own family's and community's acceptance is for parents everywhere.

"Love your children, love them, and if they are destined to be artists don't fight them. We need artists. Artists are sacred members of our community. Treasure the creative kids and help them to get scholarships to free or low-cost education," she said. "Our artists need infinite compassion because they will struggle with money and practical issues, but they will also know immense joy."

And Legere, in song, has sought closure with her mother.

"You can listen to my song 'Mama,'" she said. "And I say 'Mama, please forgive me for the many times I let you down.'"

For more information or tax-deductible donations, contact Foundation for New American Art, 224 East 10th Street, New York, NY 10003. More on Legere is at www.PhoebeLegere.org.

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